Location and geology of the Surat CMA
The Surat Cumulative Management Area (Surat CMA) takes in the Surat and southern Bowen geological basins.
Map of the Surat Cumulative Management Area
Gas is produced from the Walloon Coal Measures of the Surat Basin and from the Bandanna Formation and Cattle Creek Formation of the southern Bowen Basin. There are also existing and proposed coal mines in the Surat Basin extracting coal from the Walloon Coal Measures.
These coal-bearing formations consist of many thin coal seams separated by low-permeability rock. The coal seams collectively make up a small proportion of the total thickness of the coal-bearing formations.
The Walloon Coal Measures is a geological layer of the Great Artesian Basin. It comprises layers of lower-permeability rocks alternating with aquifers of high economic importance, which also feed springs of ecological and cultural importance.
Introduction to the Surat CMA
The video below provides an introductory overview of the Surat CMA.
Geology of the Surat CMA
The video below shows the basins and geological formations, the complexity of the geological layers, effects of these layers, and movement of groundwater.
Groundwater impact mechanism from CSG development
The video below explains how groundwater impacts may occur in aquifers surrounding the CSG formations in the Surat Basin.
Groundwater impact mechanism from coal mining
Also consider…
- Conduct a bore search for information about the predicted impacts of water extraction on individual bores.
- Read about cumulative management areas.
- Read about the Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment.
- Last reviewed: 6 Nov 2019
- Last updated: 20 Oct 2021